Totowa police chase down shoplifting suspects

TOTOWA - Police recently chased down two men accused of stealing $1,561 in merchandise, some of it from the Marshall's on Route 46, a police chief said.

Authorities received a call on Aug. 22 that the two men in the store were putting merchandise into bags without paying for it, said Chief Robert Coyle.

Patrolmen Joseph Flynn, Jamie Titus, and James Eisele responded to the call and waited outside of the store until Anibal Nieves, 34, of Belleville, and Hector Ortiz, 32, of Newark, exited the store, he said.

Ortiz ran out of the store and was stopped by two of the officers, Coyle said. Nieves attempted to get to a van in the parking lot, but police arrested him before he got there, he said.

Police searched the van and found additional merchandise they suspected was stolen, Coyle said. He added that police have the suspected theft from the Marshall's on video.

Ortiz was charged with shoplifting, resisting arrest and assault on a police officer, Coyle said. His bail was set at $10,000 with no 10 percent option, and he was sent to the Passaic County Jail.

Nieves was charged with shoplifting and his bail was set at $2,500, which he posted. Both suspects await hearings in Superior Court in Paterson.

Saturday Shoplifting

On Aug. 23, police received a report of a suspected shoplifter, who had run out of the Home Depot on Route 46 and was headed north towards the Bed, Bath & Beyond, Coyle said.

"He had taken some LED lights valued at $47," Coyle said. "A security guard tried to grab him and he broke away and ran north on Riverview Drive."

Patrolmen Jeffrey Pasquerello and Brian Britting chased down the man, Antonio Vergara, 51, of Clifton, and charged him with shoplifting. He was released pending a hearing in Totowa Municipal Court.

"We've always had shoplifting issues because we have a lot of retail stores on the highway," Coyle said.